The invention relates to a silent ratchet having at least one clamping element, an outer ring, and an inner ring arranged coaxially in the outer ring, wherein the outer ring and the inner ring together form a raceway and a clamping contour for the clamping element.
A typical example of such a silent ratchet is a freewheel wherein, when a torque acts in one direction, clamping rollers are blocked at the clamping contour so that the torque can be transmitted, whereas, when the torque acts in the opposite direction, the clamping rollers roll along the raceway so that no torque is transmitted. Moreover, silent ratchet mechanisms are used in so-called freewheel brakes wherein a torque can be transmitted in both directions by means of the clamping elements when the torque is introduced via a release element, whereas no torque is transmitted when the force is introduced via a blocking element.
Conventionally, each of the inner ring and the outer ring are formed as a one-piece metal body, and the clamping contour is obtained by machining, e.g. milling, of the inner and outer peripheral surface, respectively, of this metal body. Typically, the raceways are hardened afterwards.
U.S. Pat. No. 2002/148 696 A1 discloses a silent ratchet of this type, wherein the outer ring is formed by a stack of superposed lamella.
DE 10 2006 046 495 A1 discloses a silent ratchet wherein the inner ring is formed by two lamella sandwiching, as a third lamella, a switching wheel that is rotatable relative to the lamella of the inner ring.